Tag Archives: building a home

Today’s a little different. We sit down with Jeff Larabel to talk about an event he’s organizing: The Second Annual Ruth Larabel Yahtzee Tournament! It takes place on September 8 and all the proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Grief Counseling Program at Gilda’s Club, a Grand Rapids organization that provides free emotional healthcare to children, adults, families, and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving the death of someone in their life due to any cause. RepcoLite is happy to provide one of the prizes for the auction. More details about the event are below!

We also interview Faye Fredericks, a listener who wrote to us after a segment several weeks ago about Frank Lloyd Wright. Faye has a story about what it takes to get what you want when you tackle a building project, a remodel, or even a repaint! It is a great interview and Faye is a ton of fun! We’ve also got a little bonus story from Faye that didn’t fit into the show. Don’t miss out on that! It’s below in the notes for segments 2 and 3.

Finally, we end the show where we figured we should: giving you some ideas as to how you can create or discover your own vision. Faye makes a point that lots of us don’t know what we really want. How do we find out? We’ve got some tips. And we’ve got a “first-of-its-kind” event coming up this fall that will help you! More info in the notes for segment 4.

Listen here:

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1: GILDA’S CLUB

The Yahtzee tournament will be held at GILDA’S Clubhouse 1806 Bridge St. Grand Rapids, MI 49504.

It is open to the public there is seating for 120 participants. Raffle tickets will be sold and there will be a raffle after every other game, we will play six games.

Top four high scores will win prizes for their placement. Afterwards there will be a drawing for the auction prizes.

Snacks and refreshments will be provided for a goodwill offering.

SEGMENT 2 and 3: BUILDING YOUR INSPIRATION

We are so happy Faye and Jim Fredericks took time to share their story with us. Unfortunately, they shared a number of other stories that couldn’t make it into the show. Here are a couple of our favorites!

Listen here:

SEGMENT 4: FINDING YOUR VISION

Finding your vision can sometimes be easier said that done. But we want to help! Coming up on September 7, at the Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville, we are hosting an amazing color and design event! Benjamin Moore will unveil the new color of the year, we’ll talk about what it takes to create your vision, and you’ll have the opportunity to talk with experts in the flooring, furniture, design, and paint industry. On top of that, we’ll have some pretty amazing food and wine! CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!

Did you know that wallpaper not only could kill, but quite literally has killed? In a strange historical story from wallpaper’s checkered past, we learn about one of the most bizarre episodes in decorating history. We’re also in the studio with custom home builder, Bob Snowden to discuss how we can make the best choices when it comes to hiring a contractor!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 044:

Building a new home or remodeling your existing home is often one of those projects that often require an expert. But when that time comes, we're faced with a tough decision: how do we find the right expert? There are so many out there, which builder or contractors is the one with whom you'll work the best?

We sit down with Bob Snowden from Snowden Builders and talk about some of the key qualities to look for when you're making your choice. And while he highlights some of the basics, he feels the main quality to look for is . . . . Well, you'll have to listen to find out!

And by the way, the creepy intro music we used was a song for free use on YouTube. Here's the legal stuff: Medusa by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (httpscreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0)

I want to paper one wall in my 1/2 bath. What is the most important thing to do before I start and while I'm hanging?

It's a great question that came in on our Facebook page and we decided to give it the full, on-air treatment! Listen for the full response, but here's a quick summary:

Choose the right paper: make sure it's suited for a room that could experience moisture.

Size the walls: A lot of people skip this step, but it is very beneficial. It'll make it a little easier to put the paper up (the paper slips on the sizer and you can move it around). It also makes it easier to remove!

Start with a straight line: when hanging the paper, make sure you start with a straight line (use a level or some other method). Don't just assume that the corner is straight!

Get help: work with someone else! That means you've got a second brain on hand, a second set of eyes looking at the work, and more importantly, someone to refill your beverage when necessary!

Snap a new razor blade EVERY TIME you make a cut! This will help make sure that you don't tear the paper because of a slightly dulled blade!

This is easily one of our favorite segments of all time! It's a historical look at a crazy chapter in the world of decorating...

To summarize (without giving the whole fun story away), in the 19th Century arsenic was used to create vivid pigments that were then used in dyes and inks, on clothing, in paint, on food, and on wallpaper! Turns out, installing arsenic-laced wallpaper was actually a poor decision when it came to the health of you and your family! (Who would have thought!)

It's an interesting segment and is definitely worth a listen!

Shadows from the Walls of Death!

On the show, we talked about a rare book that you can view in the rare book collection at MSU. There were 100 copies produced in 1874 and now, only a handful remain. One of them is at MSU. Another is at the U of M.
At any rate, the book actually contains actual arsenic-laced samples of the wallpapers that were common in the early to late 19th Century. It is a piece of bizarre decorating history you can hold in your hands! (And the pages are now encapsulated in plastic, so you're safe!)
However, if you're not up for a road trip, here's a link to a beautiful full-color scan of the book! Check it out!